Well, that was fun. The combo of people spreading the word earning extra entries and just regular entries gave the SCC 4-Yr contest a total of 36 entries. Not my biggest contest, but one of the better ones. Thank you.

I have enjoyed reading ALL of the great feedback and appreciate the kind words from some as well. I can't believe the turnout on Random Card On My Desk as the main missed segment. The second most missed was Reminiscing 90's. With so much want for these both compared to other segments, I have decided that both of these segments will.....MAKE A RETURN! However, there will be a few slight improved changes to both of them. You will see that today in a new Random Card On My Desk later. These segments have been brought back, but won't be every day and will fall into a cycle with others.

Another thing I wanted to clear up was the yard sale pickups segment. That hasn't gone away, it was the people who used to have the yard sale that has. I tried all of last year to hunt down that huge sale I went to it every year bringing home the masses for under $20 and it seemed from my research that the people moved far away. I didn't know them that well personally to stay in touch but knew their names. Let's hope I can find a new yard sale or that the people didn't really move and took a year off.

Anyways, a big month of March giveaways comes to a close with the final giveaway being the biggest of them all. Which that one winner takes home a pretty sweet lot.

Congrats to Daniel Wilson!! Please email me your address to sportcardcollectors@hotmail.com with the subject line, SCC4YR and I will try to get your package out as soon as I can. I will also pass your address on to BCW Supplies. You will have 48 hours from now to claim. If not claimed, it will be re-given away in a future contest.

Thanks to everyone who entered. Look for more contests in the future and please make sure you drop a thank you to Panini America and BCW Supplies for their support!

In this new segment, I thought to go along with my Rodney Hampton posts on Sundays, that I would also take apart my Griffey collection (my biggest PC) and get some of my favorite cards from that PC posted up too.

Up first, this has gotta be one of my favorite base cards. The 1995 Collectors Choice. I must also say thank you the biggest Griffey collector I know for this addition a few months ago, The Junior Junkie.

First off, no border full color photography and Upper Deck at its best. Secondly, that is one lucky lady sitting there. She was the winner of the 1994 "You Crash The Game" contest where she not only got to meet Ken Griffey Jr. but also got to be on his base cards with him. If you look closely she is wearing a very "classic" Upper Deck hat and shirt.

The closest I ever got to Griffey, was back in 1998 when the Red Sox played the Mariners. I had the opportunity of going to the game and even though my seats weren't the best (I was in right field), I still got to see my childhood idol play. On that day he went 1-3, 2 walks and the one hit which was a double that hit the wall near me. The Mariners dominated for most of the game leading 7-2 in the 9th only to lose it by giving up 7 runs in that final inning that included a monster game winning Grand Slam HR by Mo Vaughn.

I was also lucky that day too because Randy Johnson was on the mound so I got to see two Hall Of Famers on the field. Let me tell you what, if you haven't ever seen that guy in person, just picture the Green Giant with long hair. Holy moly, he was tall!

Anyways, back to the cardboard.

The back of the card is a great example of how a base card back should be done. Well balanced with player name, photo, stats, and write up. This was a great year design on Colletors Choice as a whole.

How many of you got to see Griffey play? Meet him? Thoughts on the base card?

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Yesterday I showcased my first purchase with my Steiner Sports Browns QB promo gift card, today I am showcasing the other purchase. The one I had to have.

The timing on my gift card couldn't have arrived any better, Steiner was running a sale on certain items and one of the items was for a dual signed photo from Super Bowl 42 featuring Giants FB Madison Hedgecock and 2-time Super Bowl winning coach and one of my favorite all-time coaches, Tom Coughlin.

This 16x20 photo is full of color (they had a sepia toned version one on sale too but I liked this one much more), life and feature two autographs I don't have and wanted, especially Coughlins.

I wished the Giants could had made the kinda splashes they made this year in Free Agency in past years when Coughlin was coach and maybe he wouldn't have had to "step down" after last season. Images of another Lombardi trophy pop in my head thinking about it.

Either way, there is no argument that this guy is heading to the Hall and I wanted to make sure I added his autograph before he does so.

Thank you Tom for all that you did for the Giants organization and thank you Steiner Sports for running that Browns QB promo.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

I was at my local Walmart today, and by local I mean an hour away so I don't go to often, and I was really itching for some cards especially some new baseball ones. For the first time in my collecting career, I have broken tradition and haven't bought any 2016 Topps yet. My budget hasn't been the best.

So today, I found myself in that same scenario, have food or buy cards. Obviously, I have to eat....or do I??

Anyways, it popped into my head as I walked down the refrigerated section that Topps recently announced a deal with Walmart where they included a 3-card pack of cards inside of Walmart's Marketside pizza. Then it hit me, cards and food together. That's gotta be a win-win for me and especially on a day like this. So I picked up one of these bad boys......

Inside, I found this.

Then under that, I found this.

I do worry however as the pack wasn't even attached to the box and anyone
could easily just go up and snatch these out from under the pizza as the
package wasn't sealed either. I think at least the pizza box needs a seal.

Inside of the pack, I was able to find my first 2016 Topps cards that I opened myself and a Topps Bunt code that I just tossed to the side. As you know, I am not a fan of digital cards but those who are will appreciate that addition.

Each card in the Marketside set has a decent design with colored photography and a "digitalized square blur" top 1/3rd of the card. The Topps symbol is in one top corner and the Marketside symbol in the other. Not sure if there is a hidden meaning on this, but I noticed that Marketside was always on the side the player was swinging.

Joe Mauer was the first card in my pack

Followed by A.J. Pollock

Then to finish it up, Andrew McCutchen.

In case you are curious by the card back, here is that on my McCutchen.

The checklist on these cards is very promising with the mix of rookies, vets and even a couple of mascots. Here is the list of players you can find.

I think to make the chase even more fun would have been to add a few Sp's. No sparkles and such, just plain photo variations. Maybe an idea for the next round as these will only continue to be found til June.

Overall, I really dig the marketing idea by Topps and whoever came up with it as it is excellent. First off, pizza is a very popular food among adults and especially children that could get hooked on collecting when finding these. Second, they created a nice checklist of players and the timing to release this at the start of the season was perfect. Third, a lot of us collectors who collected oddball cards that were featured in food products from the 70's, 80's and 90's will completely love this chase and it's a great sell for Walmart as well as collectors will be buying their product to get them.

Before closing, I must also note that the pizza isn't terribly bad either. It's actually surprisingly good. That will be another key element to this as you don't want to buy hobby cardboard and something that tastes like it.

I am months behind on posting what I got with my $100 Steiner Sports gift card from the Cleveland Brown's QB promo. If you don't know what that was about, you can find that info on my blog, HERE.

One of the things I wanted to make sure to get was something game used. Something from the Yankees and something from a player I knew, while also not overspending on it so I could get the main item I wanted, which I will post about tomorrow.

At first I really wanted a game used ball since I don't own one. But, decided I would wait. Second, I looked at some game used equipment like gloves, it was a bit steep and I wanted to get more than one item with my gift card so I had to turn it away. So being frugal I continued to search the site until I stumbled upon something that not only fit within the budget, but also was game used and by a player I knew.

And that's how I ended up with this sweet Vernon Wells game used Locker Room name plate. It's going to look great in the man cave.

Wells was best known for his years in Toronto as an All-Star Gold Glover and not his one in NY where he put up minimal numbers and only hit 11 home runs before calling it a career at the end of the 2013 season. Despite his lack of production and impact, as most of us NY fans say, once a Yankee, always a Yankee no matter what. (not unless they play for the Red Sox afterwards then they are dead to me JK)

What do you guys think of this new addition? Do you own one of these? Any big Vernon Wells fans thoughts?

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

The one thing about the Uniform Versus segment is sometimes you don't always pick the "updated" version as I have done in the past two segments. Sometimes retro is simply better.

When I take a look at these retro Denver Nuggets uniforms, I honestly think, cool and at the same time please wear longer shorts. Not only do these look good on cardboard, but can you imagine the nice swatches they would make on a jersey card? Would almost eliminate a single color jersey pull of them.

These jerseys were their road uniform from 1982/83-1984/85 season. They switched the color to a lighter blue, but, still same design and ran those until the 1992/93 season.

Now we take a look at their current uni's. Kinda bland and down to a single color. It doesn't look awful just basic. I do however like the shorts better as it fits the uniform better.

These have been their home uniforms since the 2008 season.

When taking a look at these in terms of collecting and on cardboard, I have to go retro on this one. I know I chose one home vs one away, but even still, the opposite version of the retro in white still looks better than the solid light blue of the current. Either way, retro wins today for me.

What do you guys think? Retro? Updated uni's? Let's hear your arguments for both in comments!

Monday, March 28, 2016

Oh yes, the simple yet elegant base cards Upper Deck put out the first three years they were in the hobby. Even with a border, they knew exactly what they were doing and even though the designs were similar, they just continued to up-their-game and make a presence in the hobby.

Today, I want to take a look at my Top 5 favorite base cards from number 500 and up. You may agree on some, but not others. That's what makes this hobby fun, difference of opinions and difference of likes. If we all felt the same, well, we would be pretty bored.

Starting at #5, Joe Carter doing the original "bat flip". Wonder his thought on Bautistas....

#4 you just want to say FORE! or I got it, I got it, I got it! You don't see a lot of these kinda angles anymore. I will also note I totally dig these Expo uni's.

#3 has you wondering how often do you get to see images of players signing things at ball games on cards? Answer, not very often. I like the images that capture more than just the game on the field and showcases a bit of a players personality as some won't sign..

#2 is not only is this Faries rookie, being able to capture this moment on the field is amazing. Safe, out, you make the call. Dirt on the plate too!

And #1, I know it's nothing over the top spectacular, but, sliding is just as important in baseball as a bat and ball. Once again, Upper Deck went above and beyond with this image of Fernandez helping us feel like we are right there on the base waiting try and tag him.

I think my selection of the Top 5 cards from 1991 Upper Deck cards #d 500 and up is pretty solid. However, would love to hear your take! Would you choose one over the other on this list? Do you have your own list from cards #500 and up? Are you offended I left the Bagwell rookie off this list? Let me hear it!

Sunday, March 27, 2016

I talk about Collectors Edge a lot when I discuss the 90's and it's simply because they came out with some of the coolest things.

Another one of those cool things was in their 1997 Excalibur product. The insert is called Crusaders.

Inserted only in retail packs at a rate of 1:30, this 25-card set features action color player photos on acetate cards die cut in the shape of a knight chess piece. The name of the player is printed on gold foil in a medieval kinda design.

The back of the card looks as great as the front. Each of these cards in the set were limited to 750 each. This number may seem like a lot in today' standards, but back then numbered cards actually mattered.